Daniel Haston Family Association

We Can Help You Have a Memorable Haston Family Reunion

Would you like to have a Haston Family Reunion in your area–
a reunion for your branch of the Haston and Haston-related families?

Wayne will come and give some presentations on Haston family history. You will be able to ask your questions about our family’s history.
We will help you promote the event.
Some of our experienced reunion organizers will help you with ideas of what works in creating a successful Haston family reunion.
Some leading Daniel Haston Family Association members will join you to tell you more about the association.
Free to you.

Contact Us

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How You Can Become a Member of the DAR or SAR

You must join as “Daniel Haston – a Patriot,” not as “Daniel Haston – a Veteran.”

What’s the difference? Read on.

Sons of the American Revolution

Since 1889, the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) has honored our Revolutionary War patriot ancestors by promoting patriotism, serving our communities and educating and inspiring future generations about the founding principles of our Country. Members (over 37,000) of the Sons of the American Revolution can trace their genealogy to a patriot who served in or supported the cause of the American War for Independence.

As of 2022, four men had joined the Sons of the American Revolution, one in 1960, one in 1974, and two in 2022. These men joined based on the claim that Daniel Haston was a Revolutionary War veteran based on a Revolutionary War land grant that has since been revealed to probably be fraudulent and invalid.

Consequently, the requirements to prove that Daniel Haston was a veteran in the War for American Independence have become much more stringent since 2022, requiring any applicant to prove that (1) our Daniel Haston truly fought in the Revolution and (2) that the applicant can provide documented proof of a lineal connection back to Daniel Hiestand/Haston.

The SAR no longer assumes that the evidence submitted by the existing four members is valid proof that Daniel Hiestand/Haston was a veteran of the American Revolution. New applicants will now be required to provide more convincing evidence based on unquestioned valid documentation. Based on what is now known about Daniel Hiestand/Haston, it is unlikely that anyone will ever be admitted to the SAR again through Daniel as a veteran.

However, if you can prove your direct ancestral lineage back to Daniel Hiestand/Haston, you can join the Sons of the American Revolution through Daniel as a patriot, who paid taxes that were used to support the Revolution. In 1782 and 1783, Daniel Hiestand paid Personal Property taxes to Shenandoah County, VA. These taxes were used to support the American patriot cause in the war. Look (below) at the Law of Virginia that was passed in the May 1782 Session of the State’s General Assembly.

Daniel Hiestand/Haston paid the 1782 Personal Property Tax mentioned in this Act of the VA General Assembly, as well as the similar 1783 tax.

Shenandoah County, VA Personal Property Tax List, Series 07770, Reel No. 89. (Richmond, VA: Virginia State Library and Archives), image 422, page 11. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS79-2QL3-W?i=421&cat=695422

Shenandoah County, VA Personal Property Tax List, Series 07770, Reel No. 89. (Richmond, VA: Virginia State Library and Archives), image 442, page 16.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS79-2QL9-4?i=441&cat=695422

Daughters of the American Revolution

The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), founded in 1890, is a “non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America’s future through better education for children. Any woman 18 years or older-regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background-who can prove lineal descent from a patriot of the American Revolution, is eligible for membership. The DAR boasts 190,000 members.”

Presumably, the same documentation as above (for the SAR) would suffice for membership into the DAR, through Daniel’s Patriotic Service demonstrated by paying the 1782 and 1783 taxes in Shenandoah County, VA.

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Luther Haston – A Life of Crime

From Cradle to the Prison Graveyard - How He Got There

The “Dash” Between Luther Haston’s Birth and Death Dates

March 7, 1900 – September 9, 1938

What was in the “DASH” of his life, between his beginning and his end?

There was never a grave marker in the Brushy Mountain Penitentiary Burying Ground with Luther Haston’s name and birth and death dates. The State of Tennessee thought he and the hundreds buried around him were not worth having a well-marked grave.

But, there was a beginning and an end to his life, and a DASH of 38+ years between.

A "What is Known" Timeline of Luther Haston's Life

1900, March 7 – His Birth

1911 – Who was this Luther Hastings?

Before I discovered the Addie Smalley—Martin/Mortin L. Hastings marriage record, I assumed that this Rutherford County, TN “Luther Hastings” was probably young Luther’s father. Was it just a coincidence that an 11-year-old “colored” Luther Haston and a 30-year-old “colored” Luther Hastings lived simultaneously in the same rural Tennessee county? For some reason, was Addie’s son named after Luther Hastings, who was killed in 1911? Was this adult Luther actually the birth father of little Luther?

1911 – Arrest for “Grand Larceny”

Grand larceny is a crime in which something very valuable is stolen, at or more than $1,000 or more in 2024,
but much less in the early 1900s. It is a felony offense in Tennessee.
Petty (Petit) larceny is theft where the value of the stolen property is low, at or below $1,000 in 2024,
but much less in the early 1900s, probably less than $100. It is a Class A misdemeanor in Tennessee.

Assuming this was the Luther Haston who was born in Rutherford County, TN in 1900, he was 11 years old, not 14. We will see that there was ongoing confusion regarding Luther’s birth date and age. Here, he apparently fled Nashville (only 35 or so miles from Murfreesboro) and was captured in Chattanooga, TN and returned to Nashville, presumably where the theft occurred. Grand larceny was a serious offense (more serious than petit larceny) because of the value of the stolen property. Was a $35 bicycle valuable enough at that time to qualify for grand larceny?

1917 – Mother of 17 Year Old Luther Haston?

The Nashville Globe was a black newspaper edited and published by black (“colored”) people. Nashville is about 35 miles northwest of Murfreesboro, where Addie Smalley Haston, mother of Luther, lived with her parents. Additional records indicate that Addie moved from Rutherford County (Murfreesboro) to Nashville (Davidson County). Was she single again and using her maiden name at the time of her death?

1918, September 12 – Draft Board Registration

Luther (Slim) Haiston

Luther was living at 432 E. Depot Street in Knoxville, TN. Keep in mind (for future reference) that he was living near the train depot in Knoxville.

He was 18-years-old and he gave his date of birth – March 7, 1900, so he did know when he was born! He was a native-born Negro. The record says he was a driver for the U.S. Post Office. We can be sure this was the son of Addie Smalley, because he says that his nearest relative was a half-sister living in Murfreesboro, TN, as well as the date of birth matches the 1900 census record. The Willie May Mays (Luther’s half sister) was probably the 16-year-old girl who married Orman Dudley Underwood (age 19) on August 11, 1917 in Davidson County (Nashville area), TN. Rev. F.E. Alford performed the marriage ceremony. Looks like he signed his name, Luther Haiston.

He was 70″ (5′ 10″) tall, weighed 145 pounds (remember, he was nicknamed “Slim”), had brown eyes and black hair. He was physically qualified to be drafted into the army.

1918 – September 30 – Induction at Camp Hancock in Augusta, GA

Augusta, GA was home to one of the largest military camps in the United States, Camp Hancock which opened in 1917, during World War I.

World War I officially ended on November 11, 1918, 42 days after Luther was inducted at Fort Hancock. Was he discharged, so shortly after his induction, as the war was coming to a close?

1918 – October 30 – Sentenced for Petty Larceny in Nashville, TN

Left Side Page

Interesting: Six weeks earlier, he was living in Knoxville and was registered for the draft. On September 30, 1918, he was inducted into the army in Augusta, GA. Now, he’s arrested and convicted for petty larceny (stealing something of a relatively small value) in Davidson County (Nashville), approximately 200 miles west of Knoxville.

This crime occurred in Davidson County (Nashville), TN. He was sentenced for a term of 1 to 5 years. The record says he was 20 years old, which was not accurate. He was 5′ 8 1/4″ tall and 155 pounds. He was received in jail a day after his conviction, but (see left side, vertical writing) he was transferred to BM (Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary) in East TN on 12-16-1918 and released from there on 2-1-1922, a little over two years later. His contact outside of prison was his grandfather, Lawyer Smalley, who lived in Nashville then–proof that this was the baby Luther Haston born in March 1900 in Rutherford County, TN. As we saw, his mother was probably the Addie Smalley, who died in Nashville the year before Luther’s incarceration at Brushy Mountain.

Right Side Page

More Information About the Prisoner – Luther Haston

*Brown eyes – Black hair – Brown Complexion.

*2 scars on right eyebrow & scar on right cheek. Several scars on right thigh. 2 scars on left thigh. 3 scars on left knee. 4 scars on right arm at elbow. 1 scar on left side. Looks like he’d been in a knife fight and was cut up badly.

*He was single – says he was born in Alabama (did he lie about this or not know?) – farmer – C.S. (school; not sure what C.s. means, later record says he had 3 years of school) – no religion

*His term originally (it appears) to have been set to end on October 30, 1922.

*Paroled by board on 12-10-1921 (after little more than 3 years) – violated parole on 1-19-1922 (40 days later) – returned as parole violated on 1-24-1922 – Discharged 11-30-1922 (one month after his original term was set to expire).

1920 – Luther in Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

The 1920 census was taken during Luther’s first imprisonment in the Brushy Mountain Penitentiary.

1928, October 4 – Luther in Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

Left Side Page

Again, he was convicted for petty larceny on 10-4-1928 in Davidson County, TN (Nashville) and sentenced to one year in prison. He was 27 years old and 5′ 10 1/2″ tall.

Apparently, in his own handwriting, he listed his grandmother, Mollie Smalley, as the person to notify. She was living at 213 North Maney Street in Murfreesboro.

Right Side Page

Brown eyes, Black hair, Black complexion
Scar on front part of head, scar on left side of head, scar on right forearm, scar of upper left arm, teeth good
Single
Born in Tennessee
Coal miner
3rd-grade education
No religion
Term expires 9-4-29 and he was discharged on that date

1930 – Luther in Brushy Mountain Penitentiary

According to the 1930 census, he was back in the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary – less than a year after he was discharged! Parole violation again?

1936 – Arrested in Knoxville for Mail Theft

No doubt this is “our” Luther Haiston (Haston), but why was he referred to as an “Atlanta Negro”? Perhaps after his release from the penitentiary, he had temporarily lived in Atlanta.

The 1936 offense in the newspaper was against the United States Post Office, so Federal Judge George Taylor sentenced Luther Haston. We can only assume that sentence was to a Federal penitentiary, not Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary.

1937 – Luther Confesses to a Murder (He Didn’t Commit)

There is no evidence that Luther was ever tried for this crime he admitted to. Sherfiff Cate was probably right. In fact, it appears that Luther may have gotten so accustomed to the “comforts” of prison life that he committed crimes just to get away from the responsibilities of the outside world.

1938 – Convicted for Stealing Tires from the Railroad

Download the Summary of the Trial

Remember, earlier he was living on Depot Street in Knoxville, TN, near the railroad depot.

April 4, 1938 – Admitted Again to Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary

September 1, 1938 – Died of Pneumonia From 2nd Degree External Burns

Luther’s death certificate (issued in the penitentiary) says he was born in Knoxville of Knox County, Tennessee, but according to the 1900 census he was born in Rutherford County (Murfreesboro), TN. The penitentiary’s records were often incorrect and the officials there probably weren’t concerned about accuracy.

Luther’s death was the result of some kind of fire—2nd-degree external burns, which resulted in pneumonia. His lungs were probably damaged by breathing in flames. Did his cell block catch fire? Did another inmate set him on fire? Those kinds of things did happen in the Brushy Mountain prison!

More likely, his death was the result of a fire in the coal mine. Certain minerals in the coal, such as sulfides and pyrites, sometimes oxidize and generate enough heat to cause a fire. Also, in those days miners used fire lights, such as lanterns and carbide lamps for light. When they came into contact with a gaseous air pocket, fires erupted.

September 1, 1938 – Burial in the Penitentiary Graveyard

It is estimated that over 500 bodies are buried in this graveyard, the Brushy Mountain Prison Cemetery. All plots were unmarked and did not have headstones to identify the deceased.

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Luther Haston – Brushy Mountain Prisoner – Part 1

What's a Haston Doing in a Place Like This?

In this post, I will tell you the story of the Beginning and End of his earthly life.

In the following post, I will tell you the story of the “DASH” between the beginning and the end.

Who Was Luther Haston?

At the time this “Luther Haston” was alive, it appears that there were a couple other “colored” (black) people in Tennessee with the name Luther Haston (or similar surname spellings). There is ample evidence to prove that the Luther Haston, who is the subject of this article, was a three-month-old baby living with his mother and grandparents in Rutherford County (Murfreesboro), TN, when the census was taken. You will see that 1900 census record below.

Was he a descendant of a slave who had been owned by a Haston? That is possible, but not for sure. Emancipated slaves were free to choose the name of their choice. Yes, most did keep the previous slaver’s family name. That was the easiest thing to do. However, some ex-slaves chose to express their independence from slavers by taking a surname of their own choosing, such as a name associated with a white person or family they respected.

Our White County, TN Daniel Haston never owned slaves, though several of his neighbors did. Other than Daniel’s son-in-law John Austin, who married his daughter Catherine, none of Daniel’s first-generation family members who remained in Tennessee were slave owners. That may be due to his Mennonite upbringing. And I’m not aware of any pre-Civil War Hastons in Tennessee who owned slaves, but maybe I’ve just never encountered any of them in my research.

The Haston name wasn’t (and still isn’t) one of the more common names in Tennessee. From the many Middle Tennessee records I have researched, I don’t recall ever finding a 19th-century Haston in a Tennessee record who wasn’t a descendant of Daniel Haston. So, black families in Middle Tennessee with the Haston family name are puzzling to me.

So, I am left to wonder if Luther Haston was one of my cousins by birth or by an adopted name change.

Luther Haston - The Beginning of His Earthly Life

1900 – Baby Luther Haston and His Mama

Luther Haston’s Parents – December 10, 1898

“C” at the end of the record = they were both “colored”

“Morton” (spelling by the court clerk) may have been “Martin.” Was Luther’s father a Hastings or a Haston, as on the 1900 census and other records for son Luther? As per the spelling of Addie’s family name on the 1900 census, Addie’s maiden name is misspelled here – perhaps Martin’s was also. Addie could not read or write, and probably Martin could not either.

The number 204 was the location of the house where this family lived, and the 213 was the number of the family (for census district 13) that lived there. They were living in Rutherford County, TN where Murfreesboro was and is the county seat.

This Luther Haston was the grandson of Lawyer and Mollie Smally and the son of 18-year-old Addie Haston. According to this census, she had been married for two years and only had one child. Luther was 3/12 of a year old, born March 1900. Obviously, he was (S) single. He and both of his parents were born in Tennessee.

Where was Martin, Addie’s husband, and Luther’s father?

According to the census, he was not living with Addie and her infant Luther at the time of the census. I have found no other information about Martin (or Mortin) L. Hastings (or similar “Hast__” spellings). I’m assuming that he either died or abandoned his wife and baby boy. Having an absentee father might help to explain the criminal behavior that characterized Luther’s life.

According to a 1912 death certificate for a one-year-old child, John Alexander, Addie Smalling (maiden name) was the mother, and John Alexander was the father. They lived in the rear of Number 223 of 2nd Avenue South in the 12th Ward in Nashville, TN (30 or so miles northwest of Murfreesboro). There is evidence to cause me to think this Addie Smalling was Luther’s (remarried) mother.

Luther Haston - The End of His Earthly Life

September 1, 1938 – Died of Pneumonia From 2nd Degree External Burns

September 1, 1938 – Burial in the Penitentiary Graveyard

It is estimated that over 500 bodies are buried in this graveyard, the Brushy Mountain Prison Cemetery. All plots were unmarked and did not have headstones to identify the deceased.

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Amazon.com – Haston Family History Books

Now Available on Amazon.com

Search for “Daniel Haston Books”

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Civil War Sharpshooters in the Jesse Haston Family

Civil War Sharpshooters - Jesse, Jr. and Isaac Haston

Sons of Jesse Haston, Sr. & Grandsons of Daniel Haston

You may have read the story of William A. Haston, who served in the Mexican War. If so, you will recall that he was a son of Jesse Haston, Daniel’s son. Well, two of his brothers (Jesse, Jr. and Isaac) had their own war experiences–as “sharpshooters” in the Civil War.

What or who was a sharpshooter?

During the Revolutionary War, George Washington used men with extraordinarily long-distance shooting skills to pick off British cannoneers in their fortifications at Yorktown. But it wasn’t until the American Civil War that sharpshooters began to play a prominent role in warfare. By 1855, log-barreled rifled muskets were available that were accurate to at least 500 yards, but capable of killing beyond that.

Both sides of the Civil War recruited special sharpshooter units, but the Union Army was first to create these units. Hiram Berdan was known as the top amateur rifle shot in the United States. Early in the war, he proposed the idea of raising a unit for the Union Army in which each potential recruit would have to pass a shooting test to become a member. The basic requirement: Shoot ten consecutive shots at a target 600 feet away, putting the bullets on an average of five inches from the bulls eye.

These Sharpshooter units prided themselves in being elite troops. They received special training and were often exempt from some of the more rigorous types of training and disliked activities such as sentry duty. They sometimes wore special uniforms or emblems to distinguish them from other soldiers. And, in theory at least, they received higher pay.

Although they were promised these and other special benefits in the recruiting process, often they ended up being regular infantry men and called on for sharp shooting duties only on special occasions.

There were several ways in which sharpshooters were commonly used, if and when their commanding officers realized their unique value.

Skirmishers. Sharpshooters were often placed in the forefront of the battle, probing the enemy and screening the main body of the arm from attack or surprise. But doing so they impeded the advance of the enemy. They used the terrain to their advantage. Confederate sharpshooters also became experts in raiding.

Scouts. When they were not fighting, sharpshooters often were scouting. Their training in measurability fitted them for the task of scouting.

Snipers. When equipped with long-range target or scoped rifles, sharpshooters were sometimes used to “take out” the enemy’s signal men, officers, gunboats, and artillery personnel.

Stalkers. Sometimes sharpshooters even stalked their prey, especially some of the more important targets, such as enemy officers. They would maneuver into position to await clear-shot appearances of their targets. Sometimes they would remain in a position for hours without food or water, waiting for the right moment to get their shots.

Not every officer deployed sharpshooters as snipers and stalkers. Many of the officers on both sides considered sniping and stalking to be murder, not war.

Sharpshooting in the Confederacy

The Haston Boys as Confederate Sharpshooters

Daniel’s son, Jesse, was the only son in the Daniel Haston family who owned slaves. David didn’t. Joseph didn’t. Daniel, Jr. didn’t. Isaac didn’t. Jeremiah didn’t. I suspect that their Mennonite background conditioned them to oppose slavery. But when son Jesse moved to Missouri and acquired a lot of land, he became a slave owner. If his father, Daniel, had lived long enough to have known it, I think he would have been disappointed with Jesse.

However, it appears that Jesse and his family for the most part tried to maintain a neutral stance during the Civil War. Yes, Abi Albert Haston, son of Jesse, migrated to Kansas where he purchased mules, cattle, etc., for the United States government and moved in wagon trains between Ft. Leavenworth, Ft. Dodge and Santa Fe, being accompanied by soldiers, and following the Santa Fe trail. Another son, Thomas J. Haston, signed the oath of allegiance to the United States on January 26, 1862. Thomas may have been under pressure to do so because of some kind of previous rebel guerrilla activity–just a guess. But otherwise the Haston boys seem to have avoided taking sides.

Jesse Haston Ambushed and Killed

In the aftermath of the October 15, 1864, Battle of Glasgow (Missouri), Jesse Haston (Daniel’s son) was shot and killed by a Yankee militia soldier (or soldiers). Unfortunately, due to the civil disruptions of wartime, the details of Jesse’s death were not recorded in newspaper article nor was his obituary published. But the Haston family account of his death has been passed down from generation to generation.

Jesse was considered a Southerner during the Civil War and the Northern troops raided his home during the war, taking everything of value, including a number of horses. He went and talked to them at Glasgow, and they let him have one horse, then followed him out of town, shot him and took the horse. He died a few days later and is buried in the cemetery just east of his house.[i]

[i] Louise Haston Rice, (unpublished manuscript, n.d).

Jesse, Jr. and Isaac Haston - Sons of Jesse, Sr. - Enroll as Confederate Sharpshooters

It appears to me that these two sons of Jesse Haston had attempted to remain neutral during the war. They were of prime ages to be fighting in the war, for one side or the other. Even as late as February 28, 1865, Isaac Hasting (Haston) of Chariton County, Missouri was “drafted [by the Union Provost Marshal] & failed to report.” A line was marked through his name and other information. However, his record does not say that he was “in rebel army” as was true of several other records on the same page. Jesse Hasting’s (Haston’s) name appears just below Isaac’s (also in Chariton County) with no line marked through his personal information and no note regarding having been drafted, etc.[i]

[i] Consolidated Enrollment Lists, 1863-1865 (Civil War Union Draft Records); NAI: 4213514; Archive Volume Number: 1 of 1. (National Archives and Records, Washington, D.C.)

Jesse’s sons Jesse, [sic, Hayston] Jr.[i] and Isaac[ii] at some point in time enrolled in Company C of Searcy’s Battalion of Missouri Confederate Sharp Shooters. Since we don’t know when they enrolled, it may be that their father’s death by a Yankee ambusher prompted them to become sharpshooters in the Confederate army.

They appeared on a roll of prisoners of war, paroled at Alexandria, Louisiana on June 7, 1865. They had surrendered in New Orleans, 13 days earlier. Isaac was a private and his slightly older brother, Jesse, was a corporal. It appears, by the card numbers, that Jesse was 20 men ahead of Isaac in the line of enlistees. There were six Venables in the company, probably related to Jesse and Isaac by marriage.[iii]

[i] “Jessee Hayston,” Fold3.com, accessed February 12, 2021, https://www.fold3.com/image/185506005 and /image/185506006.

[ii] “Isaac Haston,” Fold3.com, accessed February 12, 2021, https://www.fold3.com/image/ 185506002 and /image/ 185506003.

[iii] Kenneth E. Weant, Civil War Records Missouri Confederate Infantry, 12^th & 16^th Regiments, Volume 3. (Arlington, TX: published by author, 2009), 73.

We have no records to tell us when Jesse, Jr. and Isaac enlisted or mustered. The only known document of their service is the parole document, dated June 7, 1865.

Jesse’s sons Jesse, [sic, Hayston] Jr.[i] and Isaac Hastib[ii] were enrolled in Company C of Searcy’s Battalion of Missouri Confederate Sharp Shooters. They appeared on a roll of prisoners of war, paroled at Alexandria, Louisiana on June 7, 1865. Isaac was a private and his slightly older brother, Jesse, was a corporal. It appears, by the card numbers, that Jesse was 20 men ahead of Isaac in the line of enlistees. There were six Venables in the company, probably related to Jesse and Isaac by marriage.[iii]

[i] “Jessee Hayston,” Fold3.com, accessed February 12, 2021, https://www.fold3.com/image/185506005 and /image/185506006.

[ii] “Isaac Haston,” Fold3.com, accessed February 12, 2021, https://www.fold3.com/image/ 185506002 and /image/ 185506003.

[iii] Kenneth E. Weant, Civil War Records Missouri Confederate Infantry, 12^th & 16^th Regiments, Volume 3. (Arlington, TX: published by author, 2009), 73.

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Video Presentation – Daniel Haston Family Tree

Video Presentation - Daniel Haston's Family Tree

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2022-2027 Haston Family History Books Project

The Heritage, Life, and Legacy of Daniel Hiestand/Haston

The 2022-2027 Hiestand/Haston Family History Books Project

The Story That Led to This Project

I began researching my Haston family in the fall of 1999. It started as a simple attempt to satisfy my curiosity, but it soon became a hobby, sometimes an obsessive one. I started to collect and organize pertinent documents. Then, I began ordering and reading books broadly related to the historical trail I was discovering, which gradually became an extensive library.

Having had professional experience as a website developer, it seemed appropriate to put my findings online to share what I discovered with Hastons who were interested. I created a simple website for that purpose, which grew into a vast resource for public access. Later, it was supplemented by a more contemporary blog site.

At some point, I thought, “You ought to write a book to preserve what you have learned for your own children, grandchildren, future descendants, and other relatives.” When I retired in 2017, I began writing, thinking it might result in a book of a few hundred pages.

But after a few years of writing, I realized that I had written about 1,300 pages! A good friend with a lot of experience in publishing told me, “Wayne, nobody is going to purchase a book of 1,300 pages!” He commented further, “You need to condense that down into a smaller book, then flesh the rest of your work out into a series of books.” So, that’s what I’ve done and am doing.

When completed, we should have more than 2,000 pages of recorded and published history of our Haston family. I urge you to collect the complete set and then pass it down to future generations of your family.

Published 2022

The Story of the Daniel (Hiestand) Haston Family

The Condensed Version of the Story

This was a difficult book to write because I was forced to leave out so much valuable historical information about our (Hiestand) Haston family. It’s what I call my “Reader’s Digest” version of the FULL story because it is condensed, containing about 25% of what the following four books combined will contain.

But there is a reason it is a condensed version of our family’s history. It is written and designed to give you a good and fairly succinct overview of our Haston family, from the mountain slopes along the south shore of Lake Zürich to the Rhineland of Southwest Germany, to Pennsylvania in the USA, then down into northern Virginia, and on to Tennessee, and eventually all across the United States to where YOU probably live.

Every Haston and Haston-related family should have this book. It’s an excellent gift for children, grandchildren, cousins, and other relatives.

Published 2024

The Swiss-German Hiestand Roots

Book 1 of the Four-Book Series – The Heritage

The 2022 book was difficult to write because it was a condensation of a much bigger account of the Daniel Haston family story. But this volume was very challenging for another reason–most of it is the European (Switzerland and Germany) part of our story (based on old German language documents)–our European roots that were undiscovered until after 2008. It expands the content of Chapters 1-8 of the 2022 book by four times.

With the assistance of some highly regarded European historians and translators, I was able to craft the story of precisely where our family came from along the shore and mountain south of Lake Zürich, Switzerland – when the family name first appeared – why they were forced to leave Switzerland – where they settled along the Rhine Rivers of Southwest Germany – when our earliest immigrant ancestor (Henrich Hiestand) came to America – where he initially settled and later moved to – how many children he had – and where our ancestor, Daniel Hiestand/Haston fit into the family.

Please note: There is more Swiss and Rhineland Germany historical information about the Hiestand family (and consequently our Haston family) in this book than is in any book, anywhere. It is was a very expensive project and is an extremely valuable resource.

If, by God’s grace, He allows me to live and be physically and mentally able, I plan (and hope) to publish one book each year in 2025, 2026, and 2027.

Projected for 2025 Publication

The Life of Daniel Hiestand/Haston: From the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to the Frontier of Middle Tennessee

Projected for 2026 Publication

The Legacy of Daniel Hiestand/Haston, Part 1: David Haston, Montgomery Greenville Haston, Joseph Haston, Lucinda Haston Mitchell, Catherine Haston Austin, Isaac Haston (in Tennessee and Missouri)

Projected for 2027 Publication

The Legacy of Daniel Hiestand/Haston, Part 2: Isaac Haston (in California), Jesse Haston, Jeremiah Haston, Daniel Haston, Jr., Elizabeth Haston Roddy

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The Big Story of the Hiestand-Haston Family Video Presentation

Video Presentation - Haston History, 600+ Years in 60 Minutes

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WW2 Belly Gunner – Horace H. “Ace” Haston, Part 4

The Post-WWII Life of Horace "Ace" Haston

Post-War Life of Horace Haston as Told by Daughter, Alice Haston Norton

When the war was over Dad was sent back to Manila in the Philippines. The crew was disbanded and he became the crew chief on an AT5 aircraft for 4-5 weeks. He was then sent to Clark Air Base in Luzon, Philippines where he was in charge of the post office there. He was sent back to Manila and sailed on the ocean mail ship to Fort Sam Houston, TX. He was given a train ticket to Chattanooga, TN.

Over the years, Dad and his fellow crew members met several times in various cities and remained close. He was the last surviving member of the crew. Shortly after leaving the service, he fulfilled his dream of getting his pilot’s license.

When my Dad got out of the service, he started working with his grandfather in the meat market of a grocery store in Lafayette, Georgia. That’s where he met my mom, Juanita Layton. Mom was the oldest of six children, so she helped by going to the grocery store for the family. Dad used to laugh and say he thought she shopped there more than was needed so they could talk. She never confirmed nor denied the matter. They married and lived in Lafayette, Georgia, for a short time and then moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee.

My sister, Elizabeth Ann Haston, was born in 1949, and I was born in 1954. We moved from Chattanooga to a farm in Apison (a small suburb of Chattanooga). I absolutely loved it because we had horses on the farm and I rode every day after school and the completion of my chores. Dad baled the hay on the farm and hired local boys to help. He took an interest in each one and gave them advice. It ended up that they all seemed to love and respect him. He was tough and expected them to work, but he was also good to them. Sometimes, there would be a knock on the door, and a young person wanted to talk to Dad and Mom and get their perspective on some issue they were having. Dad was very straightforward in what he said. He didn’t mince words, and you knew exactly how he felt.

He was also fun to be around and made everyone laugh. He had a great sense of humor. I know now that it came from the Haston side.

We attended some of the decoration days at The Old Union Cemetery in Sparta, TN when I was young. I have memories of long tables filled with food out under the large tree at the cemetery.

God Spared His Life on September 25, 1972

Dad owned gas stations, drove a tank truck for Shell Oil, and drove for Malone and Ranger Trucking over his lifetime. On September 25, 1972, he was driving to the Shell Oil fuel terminal on Jersey Pike (Chattanooga, TN) to start his workday. He pulled off at a gas station not far from the terminal to pick up the tractor that was there to be washed. This was a regular routine. He stayed at the gas station this time longer than usual. At that time, a massive explosion occurred at the terminal across the street from the Shell Oil facility. The flames shot across the street and burned the trees and anything else where there were fumes. Dad should have been on top of the tank truck loading at the time of the explosion. The inferno burned for over 28 hours. A special foam had to be shipped in to contain the fire. It was on the national news. I’m thankful that Dad wasn’t on top of that truck at the time of the fire. Sadly, three people lost their lives.

Dad passed away on August 15, 2020, due to COPD and Covid. He was 94 years old.

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Battle of Morotai – Horace H. “Ace” Haston, Part 3

"Ace" Haston Opens Up About His Experiences as a B-24 Belly Gunner

His Story as Told by Daughter, Alice Haston Norton

Dad and the crew were sent on a B-24 Heavy Bomber called the Liberator. They flew on 13 missions over Burma and China. His position on the crew was the “belly gunner.”

They were stationed at Morotai, Dutch E. Indies and fought in the Battle of Morotai.

Morotai’s development into an Allied base began shortly after the landing, and two major airfields were ready for use in October. These and other base facilities played an important role in the Liberation of the Philippines during 1944 and 1945.

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WW2 Belly Gunner – Horace H. “Ace” Haston, Part 2 – Duplicate – [#41530]

The "Ace" on a WWII Heavy Bomber Crew for 13 Missions

His Story as Told by Daughter, Alice Haston Norton

Dad and the crew were sent on a B-24 Heavy Bomber called the Liberator. They flew on 13 missions over Burma and China. He was the youngest and the smallest member of the crew. As the youngest, he was the last one living prior to his passing. Being the smallest, it was logical that he be the “belly gunner.”

We have a diary that he wrote in for a few months. It tells of the pilot landing their plane in rough winds and scraping the wing tip, and that the pilot did a beautiful job and recovery, building roads with cut palms because it was so muddy, playing basketball, building their housing because it was up to each crew as to the quarters they had and several pages of what appears to be instructions for the gunners. The tent area was in a palm grove, so they had some shade, and the nights were cool.

They were stationed at Morotai, Dutch E. Indies and fought in the Battle of Morotai.

World War II's Ill-Fated Ball Turret ("Belly") Gunners

Every person involved in fighting or caring for the wounded in World War II had a risk to their life. But, when it came to American bomber planes, the risk was far greater for some than for others. While the pilots were given the best position on the aircraft, the gunners had to hold some precarious positions in order to effectively defend the aircraft. The worst position by far was held by the ball turret gunners.

Rose Heichelbech

The B-24 Liberator Bomber was designed to improve on and replace the B-17 Flying Fortress. The B-24 was supposed to fly faster, higher, and carry more bombs over a longer range. However, both of these heavy bombers were equipped and armed with a ball turret (belly) gunner.

View this 6:53 Min. Video to Appreciate the Heroism of Horace Haston

The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner
BY RANDALL JARRELL
From my mother’s sleep I fell into the State,
And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.
Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life,
I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters.
When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.

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WW2 Belly Gunner – Horace H. “Ace” Haston, Part 1

The "Ace" on a WW II Heavy Bomber Crew for 13 Missions

Horace H. Haston: December 4, 1925 – April 15, 2020

He was a student at Central High School in Chattanooga, TN when the attack on Pearl Harbor happened. He told me, "Everybody was so patriotic, and were all so mad." In 1944 he joined the Army Air Force. He was 17 years old.

Channel 9, ABC News - Chattanooga, TN

Haston Lineage of Horace H. Haston

Horace’s mother remarried to Joe R. McArthur. His stepfather and stepbrothers tried to get Horace to change his name to McArthur. But, Horace responded – “I’m a Haston.”

His Story as Told by Daughter, Alice Haston Norton

My Dad, Horace Harold Haston, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on 12/4/1925 to Margaret Smith Haston and Hearl Haston. His father left when he was a baby and, as far as we know, never returned. My grandmother, Margaret, eventually married again and left my Dad to be raised by his grandfather, Charlie Grover Smith. Dad reminisced about playing around the grounds of Parthenon in Nashville when he was a child. They lived on a farm, and Dad was taught at a young age about hard work. His grandfather was strict, taught him an excellent work ethic, and loved him very much. Dad mentioned many times that he didn’t know what would have happened to him had his grandfather not stepped up and raised him. There was an elderly black couple that lived on the farm as well. Dad said he would eat at home and then go to the couple’s house and eat again. Growing boys are hard to fill up. I don’t recall their names, but Dad was very fond of them, and they loved him too.

During the Great Depression, his grandfather lost their farm and small general store. I actually have the ledger from the store, and you can see the numbers sadly going down daily. People just didn’t have the money to purchase items or to pay if they had promised to pay later. There’s even a notation in the ledger of my dad’s birth. When the farm and business were lost, they moved to Chattanooga, in the Saint Elmo area, which was where Dad’s mother, stepfather, and half-brothers were living. They all lived together, and Dad attended Central High School. Uncle IH (Isham Harvey Haston) and Ruth Haston lived in Chattanooga and owned a motel and gas station (Glendale Tourist Court). Dad said that when he was young, he would go work at their motel by painting, as a bell boy, or whatever was needed.

Enlisted in Reserve Corps – November 27, 1943

Dad was sworn into the US Army Air Corp at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, on June 15, 1944, and was then transferred to Biloxi, Mississippi, to be trained as a pilot. The government canceled all pilot training, so he went on to Biloxi and was trained as a gunner. After training, he was transferred to Mt. Home, Idaho, to meet up with his crew of 9 other members. After 6 weeks, he was sent to San Francisco to board a troop carrier ship and sailed 31 days to Manila, Philippines.

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2024 Reunion – Old Family Photos and Heirlooms

Two Reunion Interest Centers - Old Family Photos & Heirlooms

These treasures will be labeled and placed on interest center tables. We have learned that these old family photos and heirlooms are some of the most attention-getting features of a family reunion. During some of the main “Mix and Mingle” sessions, you may want to accompany your old photos and heirlooms at the interest centers so that you can share stories about them that have been passed down through your family’s history.

A prize will be given for the most interesting family photo that is visibly displayed on the interest center table, as well as a prize awarded for the most interesting family heirloom.

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John E. Haston – Bledsoe County, TN Family

John E. Haston Families - Bledsoe County, TN

Reconnected to Tennessee Pioneer Daniel Haston

Jeanenne Haston Kendrick (daughter of Larry Arlon Haston), whose roots run deep in Bledsoe County (Pikeville), TN, and I got into contact with each other in mid-June, 2024. Jeaneene explained that her Haston family had not been able to trace their family back past John Elder Haston. That was just the challenge I needed to look for her family’s connection back to Daniel Haston and his Swiss-German Mennonite father, Henrich Hiestand–our earliest immigrant ancestor.

The task was a bit more challenging than I expected but was accomplished with some assistance from Carolyne Oakes Knight, Librarian of Bledsoe County Library, and her 100+-year-old researcher friend, Sara Agee Goins. Yes, Sara was 100+ years old at the time she helped with this project!

Probable graves of John Elder Haston and his first wife, Scottie McGuire. Grave stones placed in October 2024 by the Arlon Larry Haston family after extensive research by the Daniel Haston Family Association revealed that this is very likely where they were buried, very close to the grave of John E. Haston's second wife and other family members. This is the Seals Cemetery in the Winesap Community of Bledsoe County, TN, on the Cumberland Mountain not far from the Van Buren County, TN line.

John E. Haston’s Two Families

1860 Bledsoe County Census

At the time of this 1860 census, Scottie and her three children were living with her parents. Her husband was not on the list.

The Haston family lineage chart below summarizes the connection from the John Elder Haston family in Bledsoe County, TN all the way back to, and beyond, the Hastons who settled at the head of the Haston Big Spring in what is now Cummingsville, TN.

Research Notes & Conclusions

Although there are many well documented family references to John Elder Haston having been a husband of two wives (Scottie McGuire & Mary E. Ferguson) and having had several children in Bledsoe County, TN, no other documents (such as tax, land, and court records) have been discovered. Apparently he was not active as a landowner, civic leader, etc.
Note: There are some unindexed Bledsoe County records that have not been thoroughly searched that might reveal some information about John Elder Haston’s life in the county.
The biggest challenge in this research process was to connect this John Elder Haston to a descendant of Daniel Haston, the patriarch of the Middle Tennessee Haston family.
A Great-Grandson (John E. Haston) of Daniel Haston (Daniel>Joseph>Isaac>John E.) was born in what was White County in 1832. The area became Van Buren County in 1840. But in the White/Van Buren County records there is not mention of this man’s E middle initial/name being “Elder.” So, was this White/Van Buren County John E. Haston the same man as John Elder Haston of Bledsoe County, TN?
The deeper I got into the research, the more circumstantial evidence began to suggest that they were the same man–John E. Haston (Great-Grandson of Daniel Haston) was the John Elder Haston who lived in Bledsoe County and raised families with two wives, the first of whom apparently died in about 1870.

The Accumulation of Evidence

At the time of the 1850 census, John E. Haston was 18 years old and living with his parents (Isaac and Emeline Haston) in District 7 of Van Buren County. While it is true that District 7 may have extended to the Bledsoe County line, I don’t think the Isaac Haston family was living that far away from Spencer in 1850, based on the location of some of his (as per the census) neighbors whom I know to have lived in or close to Spencer.
When I read that John Elder Haston lived in Bledsoe County, I immediately thought he was living in the Sequatchie Valley, near Pikeville. But documented evidence indicates that he was living in the section of Bledsoe County that is on the Cumberland Mountain in or near what is now the Bellview Community–near the Big Spring Gap Road, the Winesap Community, and the Seals Cemetery where his wife Mary E. Ferguson and some other close relatives were buried. See the comment under the featured image on top of this page. This location was near the Van Buren County line.

3. The currently known strongest documented evidence to connect John E. Haston (son of Isaac and Emeline Haston, born 1832 in what became Van Buren County, TN) to John Elder Haston of Bledsoe County, TN is the names the Bledsoe Countian gave to some of his children. For that era, this is a kind of evidence frequently used by genealogists to make such connections.

According to the 1850 census, John E. Haston was the oldest son of Isaac and Emeline Haston in Van Buren County. Remember, this Isaac Haston was grandson of Joseph Haston–not Joseph’s brother Isaac or another of the many Isaacs in the Haston family.

John Elder Haston of Bledsoe County, in about 1860, named his first son “James T. Haston,” the name of Van Buren County James E. Haston’s younger brother.
John Elder Haston named his 1878 daughter “Martha Haston,” the name of John E. Haston’s only sister.
John Elder Haston gave the name “Miles” to his 1882 son “Richard Henry Miles Haston.” Miles was the name of John E. Haston’s younger brother.
John Elder Haston named an 1885 son “William Haston.” John E. Haston had a younger brother named William.

So, John Elder Haston (of Bledsoe County) who gave his earliest children the same names as the siblings of John E. Haston (of Van Buren County) strongly suggests that John Elder Haston and John E. Haston were one and the same man. Also, notice the sequence of the names given to John Elder Haston’s children compared to the age sequences of John E. Haston’s siblings! The parallel was definitely coordinated.

Summary of Circumstantial Evidence

John E. Haston of Van Buren County = John Elder Haston of Bledsoe County

They both carried the “Haston” name.
Note: At that time in (what is now) Middle Tennessee the extended Daniel Haston family was the only family with that surname! They essentially had to be closely related, if not the same person.
They both were in the same age range.
Note: From the 1850 census we know that Van Buren County’s John E. Haston was born in about 1832. Some family documents say that John Elder Haston was born in 1842, but there is no support for that birthdate. In fact, we know that he was married to Scottie McGuire in the 1850s.
They both were from the same general area.
John E. Haston of Van Buren County disappeared from public records at about the same time that John Elder Haston appeared on the Cumberland Mountain in nearby Bledsoe County.
The naming patterns of John Elder Haston’s children and John E. Haston’s siblings added to all of the above evidence is conclusive.

Descendants of Bledsoe County Tennessee’s John Elder Haston can be assured that they are genealogically connected, and closely so, to pioneer Daniel Haston who settled on Cane Creek near the Caney Fork River as early as 1803 or 1804. Two or three years later Daniel Haston signed the petition to create White County, TN. That area of White County became Van Buren County in 1840 and his descendants played some important roles in the creation of the new county.

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Our Pre-Daniel Haston European Roots

New Release - Book 1 of a 4-Part Series

The Heritage of Daniel Haston – His Swiss Ancestors and the Experiences that Drove His Father to America

My 2022 book, The Story of the Daniel Haston Family, was a “Reader’s Digest” version of an upcoming much more extensive series of four books on our Haston family’s history. This 2024 book is Book 1 of the 4-part series. The current volume expands chapters 1-8 of the 2022 book by about 300 pages. It focuses on the heritage of Daniel Haston–the heritage that he inherited, including his Swiss ancestors all the way back to 1401.

I developed a working relationship with some highly esteemed Swiss historians, Hiestand/Haston cousins on the German Rhineland, archivists, old German script researchers, translators, and other Europeans in producing this in-depth story of Daniel’s father and the earlier Hiestands from whom we descend.

This is a book that every descendant of Daniel Haston, regardless of how he or she spells the family name, and every Hiestand family, should own and pass down to their kids, grandkids, and the other generations to follow.

Flip through the “First Pages” of Book 1 of the 4-Part Series, The Heritage, Life, and Legacy of Daniel Haston

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Haston – Edward Earl

Edward Earl Haston

1932 – 2002

Rank and Branch of Military

Corporal, Army

Years of Service

1951 – 1954

Locations of Training, Deployment, and Service

Baumholder, Germany

Wartime Theaters of Assignment and Major Battles

Korean War

Relationship to the Daniel Haston Family

Descended through David Haston, Daniel’s son

Other Information About the Service Member's Haston or Haston-Related Ancestry

The picture of my dad (top of the page), Edward Earl Haston, in his army uniform was when he was stationed in Baumholder, Germany. He was drafted out of high school. After a year or so he sent for my mother to join him in Baumholder (180 miles due west of Ibersheim, Germany, the area where the early Hiestands lived). That is where I was born November 29, 1954. It seems like we almost made the whole circle being born in Germany, and they named me Daniel. -Daniel Earl Haston (son)

Grandfather Archie Vivian Haston

Person who submitted this information and relationship to the honored veteran:

Son, Daniel Earl Haston

Email address to the person who submitted this information:

daeaha54@aol.com

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Haston – Fred Marion

1915 – 2000

Dr. Fred Marion Haston, Sr.

Rank and Branch of Military

Army Air Corps – Captain (perhaps Major prior to discharge)

We know he was a Captain for sure (can see his Captain’s bars on his picture). I think he may have been promoted to Major prior to being discharged because I found a set of gold Oak Leaf Major’s insignia shoulder pins in some of his old stuff. -Fred Marion Haston (son)

Years of Service

1942-1946

Locations of Training, Deployment, and Service

Deployment locations: MacDill Army Air Force base in Tampa, FL, New Orleans, Trinidad, San Antonio

He was stationed at MacDill Army Air Force base for a period of time in Tampa, FL.(before New Orleans assignment). It was both an interesting and sad time. During the time he was stationed there they were training new B-26 Bomber pilots. This plane had a big fuselage and little short wings so it was not something you could glide in or coast in as you were landing — it had to be powered in fast. It was the fastest landing plane in the Air Force at that time (my mother’s brother was a B-26 pilot). So a lot of new pilots had hard time understanding how fast you had to fly when landing it. As a result there were a lot of plane crashes. There was a saying at the time –“One A Day In Tampa Bay.” Since our Dad was a dentist I guess that classified him as being in the medical corp therefore when crashes occurred and bodies were hard to identify he would be called up to help identify the bodies based on dental records. -Fred Marion Haston (son)

Wartime Theaters of Assignment and Major Battles

See the story, below.

Stories of Interest Involving the Service Member

Attached is an Army Air Corp picture of a man who gave up his dental practice and cushy, safe living in Jasper, AL, and volunteered to risk his life to fight in WW II because he felt it was the right thing to do. The picture is of Dr. Fred M. Haston. He was stationed at a post near New Orleans for several months before being locked down one day with orders for no outside communication. That night his outfit was loaded on a train and taken to Mobile, AL where they boarded a ship and were shipped out. They had not a clue where they were going but since the U.S. was engaged in heavy fighting in North Africa at the time they assumed there was a good possibility that was where they were headed. Instead, they were spared that assignment and taken to the Island of Trinidad where he was stationed for a year or so, — a lucky and safe assignment compared to North Africa.

Why Trinidad? — In the 1940s airplanes were not capable of taking off from Atlanta or New York and flying direct to Europe where both bombers and fighters were needed. The most common way to get there was to fly the Southern Route — down through Mexico, Central America, and Trinidad on down to the eastern edge of Brazil, South America to a little town called Recife. There the planes would load up with fuel and take off headed across the Atlantic toward Africa and looking for a tiny island in the middle of the Atlantic called Ascension Island where they had to refuel to make it to Europe. My mother’s brother — Ed Cain flew his B-26 Bomber on that route to get to Ireland.

After Trinidad Fred Haston was stationed in San Antonio for a couple of years at Kelly Field Air Corp base until the end of the war. Was released from the service I believe in late 1945. He was very fortunate to have not ended up in the middle of battles in Europe or the Pacific–otherwise, my little brother, Richard, may not have been born. -Fred M. Haston, Jr

Relationship to the Daniel Haston Family

Daniel Haston > David Haston > Isaac T. Haston, Sr. > Erastus S. Dickey Haston > Dr. Fred Dexter Haston > Dr. Fred Marion Haston

Other Information About the Service Member's Haston or Haston-Related Ancestry

See the Dr. Fred Dexter Haston page.

Grave:

Person who submitted this information and relationship to the honored veteran:

Fred Marion Haston, Jr. – son

Email address to the person who submitted this information:

fhaston1@aol.com

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Part 3 – Search for the Man Who Killed Revenue Agent Hugh Lowery

Part 3 - In Search of a Bootlegging Cop Killer

One of Daniel Haston’s G-G-G Granddaughters played a major role in the post-shooting drama.

I will tell you some things about what happened to Ernest Price after the deadly shooting that took the life of Revenue Officer Hugh T. Lowery. Out of respect for his living descendants and other close relatives, and to honor their request, I will not tell you everything some members of his Price family know. But I will reveal enough for you to understand, in general, how the story ended.

Escape from the Crime Scene – Generally Unknown Story

Newspaper accounts of the shooting of Hugh Lowery do not tell the story of how Ernest Price managed to escape the crime scene, other than he waved his pistol at those around him, threatened to kill anyone who tried to arrest or hinder him, and took off in the direction of his home in Doyle. Another account says he was “last seen making his way for the mountains.” But, according to Price’s family, here’s how he made his initial get-away:

After Officer Lowery was shot, Ernest Price took off and apparently hid near the scene of the shooting. His companions, Ernest Seals, Everett Rowland, and Sarah Davis, put Officer Lowery in the car with them and drove him to a doctor (Doctor A.F. Richards) in Sparta.

But, according to the Price family, what is not commonly known is that they (Seals, Rowland, & Davis) returned to the mountain, picked Ernest up and took him away from the crime scene and let him out miles away so that he could make his escape. The lawmen soon concluded that Price had been picked up by someone, because the bloodhounds lost his scent abruptly. If his buddies did pick him up, that information apparently did not come out in the court case. Seals and Rowland were fined for public drunkeness and carrying pistols, but not for aiding Price in his escape.

Note: This version doesn’t seem to match the newspaper stories that say Ernest’s companions, Ernest Seals and Everett Rowland, were held in jail as witnesses after they took Officer Lowery to a doctor in Sparta. But, perhaps the stories are reconcilable – maybe (1) Seals and Rowland took Officer Lowery to the doctor, (2) returned to DeRossett and picked Earnest Price up and carried him away from the crime scene, and (3) returned to Sparta (perhaps accompanied by law officers) where they were placed in jail.

Search Expands and Reward Grows

The citizens of DeRossett offered a $250 reward for the capture of Price. A like amount ($250) was offered by the Bon Air Coal & Iron Corporation. And a reward of $200 was offered by the State of Tennessee.

Note: If the “citizens of DeRossett” offered a reward, that is another indication that the shooting occurred in or near DeRossett, not down the mountain below Bon Air.

Striking miners numbering more than 2,000 joined in the hunt for Ernest Price. It just so happened that the shooting occurred while miners were on strike, which resulted in a massive expansion of the posse (official or unofficial posse) who joined the hunt. For miners on strike, the reward would have given them a strong incentive!

Ernest Price Almost Captured

On May 9, 1924, fifteen days after the deadly shooting, Federal Prohibition Agent Logan Molloy and a posse of men came to an abandoned cabin where Ernest Price was said to have been staying. But Price fled the area suddenly when he received information that officers were closing in on him.

Note: As I recall, I think one version of the story said that Ernest was hiding under the porch of the cabin.

The Great Get-Away

They said, “Ernest Price will never be captured alive.” They were right!

Here’s the part of the story where I will try to honor the wishes of the Price family, but provide enough information for you to know how the story ended.

One newspaper account says that Ernest Price was married when he shot and killed Hugh Lowery. But I can find no record of Ernest Price having been married by that time…or, frankly, ever.

The Haston Connection

At some point, Ernest Price “hooked up with” Kathleen Haston. At the time of the 1920 census, Kathleen, the oldest of 12 children, lived with her parents in Cave, TN, a community (District 3 of White County, TN), about 2 miles east of Doyle, TN near the Calfkiller River. The Cave, TN post office no longer exists and most locals are not even aware of its past existence. Ernest Price (according to the Price family) lived on Eaton Road, north of Doyle, TN before the shooting. Ernest and Kathleen may have known each other for a long time, even though he was seven years older than she was. She was born in 1904 and he was born in 1897. But when and where and how they connected is not known.

Kathleen’s Parents are buried in the Bethlehem Church Cemetery, near Doyle, TN – Same cemetery where Officer Hugh Lowery and his family are buried.

Despite a diligent search, I have found no record of a marriage between Ernest Price and Kathleen Haston. However, it is known that they lived together as man and wife for the remainder of their lives and are buried side by side. Perhaps they were married, but the change of their identities may be the reason their marriage date and place are hidden from us.

The Westward Escape

Some of the following information is from the Price family but most details about their life “out west” are from public records.

One writer, probably a relative of Ernest Price, stated:

Price went on to Michigan and into the auto plant. His wife and kids joined him and lived a normal life. I know he was home in 1965 for his brother's funeral. That wasn't his first visit either and he didn't hide. That was when I first heard it all told.

Unknown White County, TN Resident

Part of the above is likely true, but some of it is inaccurate. The Michigan destination is not accurate. There is ample evidence to disprove the Michigan and auto plant part of the assertion. The Michigan statement may have been given intentionally to continue to cover-up where the family really lived. Records do seem to show that he and his family did live a normal life after they got away from Tennessee. Ernest died in 1985, so it is very possible that he did return home in 1965, as well as other times previous to that. The Price family acknowledged that Ernest (and probably Kathleen) did return to White County to visit family members and that some of them traveled west to visit with Ernest, Kathleen, and their family.

According to a member of the White County, TN Price family–someone closely connected genealogically to Ernest Price–Ernest and Kathleen went to Kentucky and caught a train to _______ (somewhere out west, that I will not mention).

They changed their names to some very common names that made it very difficult for them to be traced–and it worked.

Here are some of what I know about Ernest and Kathleen in their life out west:

They appear on the 1930, 1940, and 1950 census records for the western city they lived in, nowhere near Michigan. The 1950 census is the last census that is available to the public.
According to the City Directory, they lived in the same house from at least 1930 through 1958. They were homeowners.
Ernest was employed, over the years, as a janitor for a pie company, a house mover, and an agricultural aid for a company that did laboratory research on animal diseases. Kathleen was a commercial tailor.
They had a daughter, Jacqueline, who was born in Tennessee and a daughter Maxine who was born in a western state, as well as a 1947-born son whose middle name was Haston.
Jackie (Jacqueline) was born October 1, 1925 in Eaton, Tennessee of Gibson County, TN. So, if this is accurate, Ernest and Kathleen were still living in Tennessee eighteen months after the shooting death of Officer Hugh T. Lowery, but far enough away from Sparta, TN to feel safe, I suppose.
An Ancestry.com record says that Ernest Price (under his aka assumed name) was born in Gibson County, TN, so I’m not sure if any of the Gibson County, TN information is true or just a misdirection to point law officials to a false trail.
Kathleen died in 1960.
Ernest (aka Joseph E. Smith) died in 1985.

True, “Ernest Price would never be captured alive.” He was never captured at all!

We never felt revenge. We felt since Price had to run all those years, that it was punishment worse than being in prison.

Hattie Joe Lowery Ford, Daughter of Hugh T. Lowery

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Part 2 – Ernest Price, the Man Who Shot Hugh Lowery

Part 2 - The Man Behind the Trigger on April 23, 2024

One of Daniel Haston’s G-G-G Granddaughters played a major role in the post-shooting drama.

In Part 3, I will tell you some things about what happened to Ernest Price after the deadly shooting that took the life of Revenue Officer Hugh T. Lowery. Out of respect for his living descendants and other close relatives, and to honor their request, I will not tell you everything some members of his Price family know. But I will reveal enough for you to understand, in general, how the story ended.

World War 1 Service

September 29, 1918 - On His Way to France for a Year of Service in World War 1

September 29, 1919 - On His Way to Home After a Year of Service in World War 17

Ernest Price’s Criminal Record

Not necessarily his complete record.

Before the April 23, 1924 incident near DeRossett, TN that took the life of Hugh Lowery, Ernest Price had already established an ignominious record of criminal activity in and around White County, TN. He was well known by law enforcement officers and court officials. When the word of the fatal shooting reached local lawmen, they would not have been surprised to hear that the shooter was Ernest Price.

Mostly from Public Records – Volumes 3 and 4 of the TN Circuit Court Minutes in White County, TN Archives

Note: It is difficult to sort out all of the White County Circuit Court records, as to which are the original charges and which are continuations of previous cases.

1918 – May 5: Disturbing Worship. Ernest was 21 years old. He was arrested just about a month before he registered for the military draft. He was fined $30.

World War 1 Service

1921 – March 23: Carrying a Pistol. Apparently, Ernest liked to carry a pistol as you will see in his court record. Was he “carrying” for self-defense or for opportunities to do some mischief or, worse yet, some serious illegal deeds?

1921 – July 22 – Disturbing Public Assembly.

1921 – July 23 – Public Drunkenness.

1922 – July 19 (November 24, 1922) – Carrying a Pistol.

1922 – July 19 (and continued into November and May 16, 1823) – Assault with Intent to Commit Murder. Also, Carry a Pistol. Ernest Price shot through a door of a home and hit Emmett Youngblood, a three-year-old boy, in the eye which paralyzed little Emmett.

According to a TN State Supreme Court case, Ernest was the one who fired the shot into the home of the Youngbloods, near Doyle, TN. (Bristol Herald Courier – February 21, 1924)

1922 – July 22 (continued November 23, 1922) – Public Drunkenness.

1923 – May 16 – Continuation of Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in First Degree, also Carrying a Pistol.

On May 16, 1923, the record says “Defendant serving Federal sentence. Case continued to next term. I do not know what the Federal sentence was about. Zollie Wright, one of the co-defendants in this case had died by this time.

1923 – September 10 – Alius Capias issued for the arrest of the defendant, Ernest Price.

Alias Capias = a warrant issued when a felony defendant fails to appear before the court and the defendant cannot be released by posting a bond. Capias = body

Ernest’s father, Allen Price, was surety for Ernest in a previous Public Drunkenness case. Ernest failed to appear and his father had to forfeit the bond of $250.

1923 — September 17 – Decision on Assault to Commit Murder case. Ernest and Clarence were found guilty and fined $500 each and 11 months and 29 days in jail or the county workhouse. On the 18th they put in a motion for a new trial. On the 19th an arrest of judgment appeal was made to the TN Supreme Court.

1924 – January 15-16 – Recognizance Bond. Apparently for the former public drunkenness case. Defendant paid the forfeiture bond, $250 I assume.

1924 – January 18 – Carrying a Pistol.

1924 – February 12 – Warren County, TN Circuit Court “Violating the Age of Consent” Case

For some reason, this “Age of Consent” case was tried in Warren County (McMinnville, TN), even though the plaintiff and the defendant were both from White County. Ernest was convicted and sentenced to a three to ten years’ sentence for engaging in sex with an underage girl. After the sentence was given, the girl spoke up and asked the judge to pardon him because he was not guilty. She claimed that she was guilty and had lied on the witness stand under pressure. The case was referred to the TN State Supreme Court and Governor Austin Peay issued a pardon.

I won’t mention the girl’s name, but she was from White County. She was not Sarah Davis who was with Ernest in the car when Hugh Lowery was killed. And she was not the Haston woman who is mentioned in Part 3 of this story

About 70 days after Ernest figuratively-speaking “dodged the bullet” in the case above. He shot and killed Hugh Lowery. He would have been better off to have been serving that three to ten years sentence in prison.

On April 23, 2024 Ernest Price shot and killed Revenue Officer Hugh Thomas Lowery. From that point on, Ernest was not in court in White County, TN ever again. But his name is mentioned several times again in the White County, TN Circuit Court records in connection with the continuation of some of his cases.

1924 – May 15 – The State of Tennessee vs. Ernest Price (Indictment 468), Murder in the First Degree

1924 – September 11 – Final Judgment on Previous Public Drunkenness. Apparently, Allen Price (father of Ernest) had to pay an additional $500 to cover a bond he signed assuring the court that Ernest would appear in court on the public drunkenness charge. Ernest’s father paid a total of $750 for surety bonds he signed for his son.

One of Daniel Haston’s G-G-G Granddaughters played a major role in the post-shooting drama.